The folly of Iraq predates Obama

In response to Quinton D. Thompson's letter ("Obama's decision to leave Iraq led to catastrophe," April 5), I must remind your readers that the underlying catastrophe was perpetrated by then-President George W. Bush's illegal attack on Iraq.

President Bush led this attack on the false pretenses that Saddam Hussein was harboring weapons of mass destruction that posed an imminent threat to our nation. It was Mr. Bush's irresponsible decision to take this action that led to thousands of U.S. soldiers dead or wounded (not to mention the innumerable Iraqi civilian casualties). The cost, trillions of dollars to support what is now recognized in reality as a civil war, is an expense we can hardly support in the face of the current U.S. budget deficit.

President Barack Obama's decision to finally withdraw our troops from the results of the Bush administration catastrophe may be the only way left for true redemption.